PhD in Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management
Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management is a multi-disciplinary program that provides students with the opportunity to examine a wide range of foundational topics as well as domain-specific. Our areas cover the following topics:
Teddy Carter
"Showing that there are other ways to think about business, think about an economy, think about the work we do together…that’s where I would like to make an impact."
Entrepreneurship and innovation aims to explore the dynamic socio-economic systems that encourage and support the creation of new businesses, social enterprises and entire industries (as well as innovation and strategic renewal within existing organizations). Enterprising individuals who head such entrepreneurial initiatives are also explored.
Family business strives to understand the significance, diversity and complexity of family firms; the unique and fascinating challenges facing both family businesses and business families; and the governance practices that can help improve the effectiveness and longevity of these intertwined social structures.
Human resources management is focused on the employment relationship and exposes students to a variety of theory, research and management strategies. A number of substantive literatures are covered (e.g., recruitment and selection, socialization, training and employee development, performance management, employee relations, compensation and rewards).
Industrial relations exposes students to classical IR theories and themes such as industrial relations systems theory, historical development and theories of the labour movement, strategic choice approach, and the roles of the main industrial relations actors (unions, management, and government).
Organizational behaviour examines the theories and research pertaining to individual and team behaviour in a variety of organizational contexts, as well as the management implications of this research. Typical topics covered include: work attitudes, motivation, leadership and culture. Focal behavioural outcomes typically include performance, citizenship, absenteeism and turnover.
Organizational theory examines: the design and structure of organizations; the complementary processes of differentiation (the division of labour and the grouping of functions) and integration (the distribution of authority); the relationship between organizations and their social, political, institutional and economic environments; and the nature and role of politics, power, and conflict that may result from inherent tensions in coordinating a range of disparate functions and interests.
Strategic management has as its focus an analysis of the organization in its environment, examining the processes by which organizations position themselves and seek to marshal resources and capabilities to support and implement strategies. It is concerned with how organizations match (or fail to match) organizational capabilities and strengths with external opportunities and constraints.
Specialization course requirements
As of Fall 2025 each doctoral student in Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management must complete:
This course introduces students to the major schools of thought in organization and management theory. It considers the development of the field, major and foundational works in these schools of thought, and provides a cognitive map with which to evaluate contemporary research and debates. At the end of the course the student will have an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each major perspective.
Prerequisite: Registration in Business PhD Program or written permission of instructor. Approval of the Associate Dean, PhD Program is also required for non-PhD students.
This seminar examines theory and original research within the field of organizational behaviour. The course covers a range of topics, including job performance, work attitudes (e.g., organizational commitment, job satisfaction), motivation, trust, justice, individual differences (e.g., personality), team structure and processes, power, leadership, and organizational culture. The primary emphasis is on the field's classic, ground-breaking and/or provocative articles. Overall, the course exposes students to current research thinking and strategies within the field.
Prerequisite: Registration in Business PhD Program at the 海角社区 or written permission of instructor. Approval of the Associate Dean, PhD Program is also required for non-PhD students.
This course examines the current state of knowledge in strategic management. Topics may include the sources of competitive advantage, the role of industry evolution and technology, the organization of top management, and managerial decision-making and cognition. The course introduces students to alternative theoretical perspectives and available empirical evidence related to these topics.
Prerequisite: Registration in Business PhD Program or written permission of instructor. Approval of the Associate Dean, PhD Program is also required for non-PhD students.
This course is designed to provide a holistic viewpoint on the life and work of a management professor. As students move through their doctoral program and into their first academic jobs, there are several skills and understandings that will be important for them to develop, with the ultimate goal of making their careers ones that are fulfilling. This course helps ground the students in a broad range of the basic skills they will build on over their careers. To that end, this course focuses on professional development, including research, teaching, presenting, and being a positive contributing member of the academe.
Prerequisite: Registration in Business PhD Program or written permission of instructor. Approval of the Associate Dean, PhD Program is also required for non-PhD students.
This seminar introduces students to the major phenomenological topics and theoretical perspectives within the domain of entrepreneurship research. Illustrative phenomenological topics include opportunity recognition/construction, new venture creation, and resource acquisition. Illustrative theoretical perspectives include cognitive, affective and cultural approaches. The course enhances understanding of mid-range theory building and testing more broadly.
Prerequisite: Registration in business PhD Program or written permission of instructor. Approval of the Associate Dean, PhD Program is also required for non-PhD students.
Research methods courses
A minimum of four courses, including BUS 705 Philosophy of Science, one qualitative and one quantitative. Courses in the Alberta School of Business include:
- BUS 701 - Qualitative Methodology for Business Research
- BUS 705 – Philosophy of Science
- BUS 715 - Experimental Methods for Behavioural Science
- MGTSC 705 - Multivariate Data Analysis I
- MGTSC 707 - Applied Business Analytics of Time Series and Panel Data
- SEM 706 - Seminar in Quantitative Research Methods
Three additional elective courses in a cognate discipline are also required, as approved by the supervisor, within or outside of the Business School. See the for additional information.
The faculty for this specialization are members of the Department of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management. A representative from the department coordinates the program internally and sits on the Business PhD Policy Committee. Most administrative matters are handled by the PhD Office of the Business School.
Updated October 7, 2025